FIN 6322 (Dr. Macy): Security Analysis
The purpose of this guide is to introduce you to sources in Cornette Library and on the World Wide Web useful for finding information on an industry and companies in that industry. The list of sources here is not comprehensive but will lead you into your research. As you use these for research on your assignment, explore others you find along the way. Ask at the Reference Desk or call 651-2215 if you need assistance.
Business Research
Learning the ins and outs of business research takes time but is worth the effort in the long run. If you are a business major, you should become familiar with the basic sources of business information. Many corporate, academic, and public libraries collect at least some of these sources. Take a look at these publications to learn more about business information sources. You might also consider purchasing a recent business research guide for your own collection.
- Business Information: How to Find It, How to Use It
- HF 5356 .L36 1987 Ref.
- Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources
- HF 5353 .E9 Ref.
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Industry Information
Some of the sources you'll use to gather information on your chosen industry are located in Cornette Library's Reference collection. These can not be checked out, but you may make photocopies. You'll need to use your Buffalo Gold card to make photocopies. You may add money to your card at the Circulation Desk on the Library's first floor.
Knowing the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes for your industry can be helpful when searching business information sources. The NAICS replaced the SIC in 1997 to include Canada and Mexico, but you'll still see SIC codes used in some current publications and those published prior to 1997.
Reference Sources
Some of these sources are published annually, which allows you to track changes in industries over time.
- Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys
- HC 106.6 .S74 Ref.
- Value Line Investment Survey
- Circulation Desk
- Industry Norms & Key Business Ratios
- HF 1016 .I53 Ref.
- RMA Annual Statement Studies
- HF5681.B2 R6 (most recent edition at Circulation Desk)
- Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios
- HF 5681 .R25 T68 Ref.
Journal, Magazine, & Newspaper Articles
To find articles on an industry in magazines, journals, and newspapers, it's best to focus on our finance resources. When you find articles, evaluate them to make sure you are getting valid information. If you need assistance with searching the resources listed below, ask at the Reference Desk (first floor) or the Periodicals Desk (second floor). You may also call the Reference Desk at 651-2215 during the hours Cornette Library is open or use our Ask a Librarian service.
While most of our online resources include the full-text of the journal articles they index, some only include citations. Once you have reviewed the citations to determine which journal articles you want, browse our list of online journals or search Cornette Library's online catalog by journal title to determine if the issue you need is available in the Library's Periodicals collection. Journals are shelved alphabetically by title in the bound, microfilm, microfiche, or current periodicals areas on the Library's second floor. If the Library does not have the journal issue you need, request the article through Interlibrary Loan.
All of our online resources are available from off-campus as well as in the library. You will be asked to login: use your Buff Advisor username (for example, js123456) and your Buff Advisor password (for example, buffaloes).
Full-Text Business Sources
- Business Source Complete
- Citations, abstracts (short summaries), and full-text of articles on business topics including management, economics, finance, accounting, and international business.
- LexisNexis Academic - News and Business Research Sections
- Full-text of U.S. and international news, business/industry news, and legal news and journals.
- Regional Business News
- Full-text regional, national, and international newswires and news magazines covering business, politics, and economics.
- Wall Street Journal Index
- Print index to the Wall Street Journal, located in Periodicals on the Library's second floor.
Full-Text General Resources
- InfoTrac Newspapers
- Full-text articles from the Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, the Austin American Statesman, as well as national and international newspapers like the New York Times, the Washington Post, Financial Times, and the Times (London).
- Newspaper Source
- Full-text articles from regional U.S. newspapers, international newspapers, newswires, and newspaper columns.
- ScienceDirect Journals
- Despite its name, ScienceDirect Journals also includes full-text access to journals in business, management, and accounting.
Government Information
The federal and state governments publish information on business at the industry level. Government publications are especially good sources for statistics. Governments also make laws and regulations that impact industries and their companies, so it is advisable to be aware of these as they happen. Cornette Library receives both federal and Texas state government documents. These publications are located on the Library's second floor. The federal government also publishes numerous documents on the World Wide Web. Cornette Library's online catalog provides links to many of these. Ask for assistance at the Government Documents Desk on the Library's second floor.
Government Reference Sources
- U.S. Industry & Trade Outlook
- C 61.48:2000
- United States Government Manual
- Government Documents and Reference Desks; also available online
- Standard Industrial Classification Manual
- Government Documents Desk; also available online
- North American Industry Classification System
- Government Documents Desk; also available online
- Statistical Abstract of the United States
- Government Documents and Reference Desks; also available online
- Texas State Directory
- Government Documents and Reference Desks
Online Government Resources
- Cornette Library's online catalog
- Federal (since 1995) and all state government documents collected by Cornette Library are listed in our online catalog. We even provide links to documents available on the Web.
- GPO Monthly Catalog
- GPO provides citations for all federal government documents published from 1976 to the present.
- LexisNexis Statistical
- This database indexes, abstracts, and links to the full-text of U.S. government statistical publications.
Government Web Sites
- Government Information: US Guides
- Government Information: Doing Business with the Government
- U.S Department of Commerce
- U.S Census Bureau
- U.S Department of Labor
- Government Information: Texas
- Texas State Government Information
- State and Local Governments (Library of Congress)
Industry Associations
These associations provide information on the industries they represent. To find the names of associations representing your industry, check these books located in Reference or try a search on the Web using your industry name and the word association. Many associations have Web sites.
- Encyclopedia of Business Information Sources
- HF 5353 .E9 Ref.
- Encyclopedia of Associations
- Reference Desk
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Company Information
The amount of information you find on a specific company depends on whether it is public or private. More information is available for public companies (those that sell stock). Information on private companies (those that don't sell stock) is more difficult but not impossible to find. The sources listed below contain varying types of information for specific companies. Be sure to explore both the print and electronic sources. Also check out the Web sites listed on Cornette Library's Web guide for company information.
Reference Sources
- The Value Line Investment Survey
- Circulation Desk
- Standard & Poor's Register of Corporations, Directors and Executives
- HG 4057 .A4 Ref.
- Standard & Poor's Corporation Records and Standard Corporation Descriptions
- HG 4501 .S7664 Ref.
- Mergent Company Archives Manual
- HG 4028 .M4 M43 Ref.
- Mergent Industry Review (formerly Moody's Industry Review)
- HG 4961 .M68 Ref.
- Headquarters USA: A Directory of Contact Information for Headquarters and Other Central Offices of Major Businesses & Organizations Nationwide
- Reference Desk
- Hoover's Handbook of World Business
- HG 4009 .H66 Ref.
- Hoover's Masterlist of Major International Companies
- HD 62.4 .H66 1998/99 Ref.
- International Public and Private Companies
- HG 4057 .A217 Ref.
- International Directory of Company Histories
- HD 2721 .I5 1988 Ref.
- Moody's (Mergent) Manuals
- Moody's Manuals cover bank and finance, public utilities, transportation, municipal governments, and industrial companies. Ask at the Reference Desk for their locations.
SEC Filings
Public companies are required to report information to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. A company's 10-K report contains a wealth of information including financial data, legal proceedings, parents and subsidiaries, lists of major stockholders, and more. The company's proxy statement referred to in some 10-K reports adds additional information.
- LexisNexis Academic - Business Research Section (WTAMU only off campus)
- SEC's EDGAR Database
Stocks & Dividends
- Mergent's Handbook of Common Stocks (formerly Moody's Handbook of Common Stocks)
- HG 4905 .M815 Ref.
- Standard & Poor's Daily Stock Price Record
- HG 4915 .I22 Ref.
- Value Line Investment Survey
- Circulation Desk
- Wall Street Journal
- Periodicals collection on the second floor; most recent issue in the Reading Area on the first floor
- Mergent Dividend Record
- HG 4905 .M813 Ref.
Company Annual Reports
Companies publish annual reports for shareholders. A small collection of annual reports is kept in Reference. Many companies also publish their annual reports on their Web sites.
Journal, Magazine, & Newspaper Articles
The Cornette Library subscribes to many relevant periodicals like the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Barron's, Business Week, Forbes, and Fortune. To find articles on a company in magazines, journals, and newspapers, it's best to focus on our finance resources. When you find articles, evaluate them to make sure you are getting valid information. If you need assistance with searching the resources listed below, ask at the Reference Desk (first floor) or the Periodicals Desk (second floor). You may also call the Reference Desk at 651-2215 during the hours Cornette Library is open or use our Ask a Librarian service.
While many of our online resources include the full-text of the journal articles they index, some only include citations. Once you have reviewed the citations to determine which journal articles you want, check our list of online journals or search Cornette Library's online catalog by journal title to determine whether the Library subscribes to the journals you need and whether they are available in in paper or microfiche. If the Library does not have the journal or issue, you may order the article through Interlibrary Loan.
All of our online resources are available from off-campus as well as in the library. You will be asked to login: use your Buff Advisor username (for example, js123456) and your Buff Advisor password (for example, buffaloes).
Full-Text Business Sources
- Business Source Complete
- Citations, abstracts (short summaries), and some full-text of articles on business topics including management, economics, finance, accounting, and international business.
- LexisNexis Academic - News and Business Research Sections
- Full-text of U.S. and international news, business/industry news, and legal news and journals.
- Regional Business News
- Full-text regional, national, and international newswires and news magazines covering business, politics, and economics.
- Wall Street Journal Index
- Print index to the Wall Street Journal, located in Periodicals on the Library's second floor.
Full-Text General Resources
- InfoTrac Newspapers
- Full-text articles from the Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, the Austin American Statesman, as well as national and international newspapers like the New York Times, the Washington Post, Financial Times, and the Times (London).
- Newspaper Source
- Full-text articles from regional U.S. newspapers, international newspapers, newswires, and newspaper columns.
- ScienceDirect Journals
- Despite its name, ScienceDirect Journals also includes full-text access to journals in business, management, and accounting.
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Citing Your Sources
Why must I cite the sources I use for research projects?
- To give credit to the author of the information you use.
- To avoid plagiarism (WTAMU Code of Student Life: Appendix I-Academic Integrity Code). Plagiarism is a serious offense that can result in a failing grade or worse!
- So that others can verify the information.
- To assist others in doing their own research.
APA Style
A copy of the 5th and 6th editions of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is kept at the Reference Desk. Additional assistance with citing electronic publications is available from the APA online site, which is accessible from Cornette Library's Citation Basics page.
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Your Comments
There's always room for improvement!
If you have suggestions for improvements or would like to comment on something you found especially useful about this course guide, please email Linda Chenoweth. Your comments and suggestions are appreciated.
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